Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at celebrities whose reputations have been tainted by controversy.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at celebrities whose reputations have been
00:09tainted by controversy.
00:21After coming out in the late 90s, Ellen DeGeneres weathered a storm of prejudice, emerging as
00:26an LGBTQ plus icon, and one of comedy's most beloved figures.
00:30By 2020, DeGeneres' reputation seemed as golden as ever.
00:34It quickly turned to fool's gold as several ex-employees claimed that her talk show personality
00:39created a toxic work environment.
00:51Despite her human rights activism and upbeat on-screen personality, DeGeneres was accused
00:55of discrimination and harassment.
00:57An investigation was launched, as more people ranging from former staff members to celebrities
01:02spoke out.
01:05Three executives exited, but DeGeneres continued to host her show until its conclusion in 2022,
01:11shy of its 20th anniversary.
01:13While DeGeneres hasn't left the spotlight completely, the industry isn't known for
01:17having a short-term memory.
01:25The artist, formerly known as Kanye, has repeatedly found new ways to top himself in
01:33the infamy department.
01:35Even during a time when many Americans were getting fed up with George W. Bush, West's
01:39comments about the President's views toward black people felt jolting and random.
01:44Not as random as the time he crashed Taylor Swift's VMA acceptance speech, though.
01:53That might have been the most viral blow to West's reputation, but his views on politics,
01:57slavery and the Holocaust made him a pariah.
02:00Although West has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, people still question how much of
02:04his behaviour is rooted in mental health, and how much is just Kanye being Kanye.
02:08Either way, various brands and celebrities have distanced themselves from him.
02:20In a flash, we went from we need to talk about Kevin to we can't stop talking about Ezra
02:24for all the wrong reasons.
02:25The actor's prominent roles in the DCEU and Fantastic Beasts franchise became an afterthought
02:30following a video where they seemingly strangled a woman.
02:34Just when it looked like the backlash was dying down, Miller raged through 2022 like
02:38a tornado of peon nightmares.
02:48In addition to multiple arrests, the actor would be accused of theft, assault, grooming,
02:52harassment and child endangerment, with the media struggling to keep up.
02:56Whether or not their actions are the main reason why movies such as The Flash underperformed,
03:00Miller's reputation may be beyond reversing, with projects like Invincible already recasting
03:05him.
03:16When Marvel cast Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark, it was considered a risk given his
03:20past.
03:21Conversely, there appeared to be few risks when Marvel made a similar long-term commitment
03:25in Jonathan Mayer's.
03:27Where Downey now has one of the most glowing reputations in Hollywood, Mayer's A-lister
03:31status ended before it even started.
03:41On the heels of several acclaimed performances and debuting as Kang the Conqueror, Mayer's
03:45was at the forefront of an assault case.
03:47The writing seemed to be on the wall, as Mayer's management dropped him as a client, but it
03:52wasn't until after he was found guilty that Marvel officially severed ties.
03:56While Mayer's avoided any jail time, his career remains in limbo, along with undistributed
04:01magazine dreams.
04:13Gaining a reputation as the Norman Lear of kids' TV, it was hard to imagine Nickelodeon
04:18without Dan Schneider.
04:19When Schneider and Nick parted in 2018, a joint statement described it as a quote, natural
04:24time to pursue other opportunities and projects.
04:27With Schneider being accused of temper tantrums and further misconduct, many suspected something
04:32more troubling was afoot.
04:41This became more apparent after Jeanette McCurdy alluded to the iCarly creator in her 2022
04:46memoir.
04:47In the coming years, former child stars, female writers and others who worked with Schneider
04:52opened up about their trauma.
04:54And Schneider wasn't the only controversial Nickelodeon employee, with Brian Peck going
04:58from pickle boy to convicted predator.
05:07In terms of industry influence and power, though, few have fallen farther than Schneider.
05:19Combs didn't have a spotless record going into November 2023.
05:23Even with multiple arrests and high-profile feuds, Combs maintained his image as a respected
05:28performer and businessman, until ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit accusing him
05:33of assault.
05:37While that case was settled, three more lawsuits followed with Combs' alleged behaviour spanning
05:41from 1991 to 2003.
05:44By December 2023, Combs had lost 18 brand deals and taken a step back as Revolt TV's
05:50chairman.
05:51The following March, the authorities raided Combs' home in Miami and LA, with an investigation
05:56underway.
05:57Combs has since been implicated in another assault case with his son, Christian.
06:01Whatever the verdicts are, Combs will likely spend more time in court than in the recording
06:05studio for the foreseeable future.
06:21It seemed like Danny Masterson would be forever remembered as the guy who played Hyde on That
06:2570s Show.
06:26Since 2017, the actor has been primarily known for more notorious reasons, casting a dark
06:31shadow over the sitcom's legacy.
06:37The assault accusations against Masterson not only shined a light on the widespread
06:40history of abuse in Hollywood, but also on the Church of Scientology's reputation for
06:45allegedly sweeping scandals under the rug.
06:47Once that rug is lifted, the mess is difficult to overlook.
06:55Following a lengthy legal battle, Masterson was found guilty in 2023, receiving a sentence
07:00that could keep him behind bars for anywhere between 25 and a half years, and life.
07:05Even if Masterson is released before turning 75, his career appears deader than disco.
07:18Sometimes it takes a documentary to get the wheels of justice moving.
07:21Surviving R. Kelly marked the beginning of the end for the infamous singer, but his reputation
07:25had been shrouded in shame for nearly two decades.
07:29From his illegal marriage to the underage Aaliyah, to the assault accusations brought
07:32forward by the underage Tiffany Hawkins, to a leaked video allegedly depicting him doing
07:37the unspeakable to another underage victim, it seemed like there was no controversy Kelly
07:41couldn't bury in the closet.
07:52The industry repeatedly turned a blind eye until the 2019 documentary debuted, motivating
07:57RCA Records to drop Kelly.
07:59The law also re-evaluated Kelly, who has since been convicted on multiple charges, including
08:04abuse, resulting in a combined sentence of 31 years.
08:14For decades, Harvey Weinstein was among Hollywood's most powerful and feared producers.
08:19By 2015, though, the Weinstein Company was on shaky financial ground, with the studio's
08:23Oscar wins also declining.
08:25It was probably not a coincidence that it was around this time Hollywood stopped ignoring
08:29the elephant in the room.
08:39Between the New York Times and the New Yorker, Weinstein's years of abuse became public
08:43knowledge in October 2017.
08:46Losing his company and Academy membership, Weinstein soon found himself in the centre
08:50of multiple trials and serving prison time.
08:53Many have ruined their reputations throughout the MeToo movement, but the fact that this
08:56former movie mogul provided the Weinstein effects namesake is a testament to how far
09:01his misconduct reached.
09:28Like Weinstein, the allegations against Bill Cosby were something of an open secret for
09:32years.
09:33Yet, people seemed in denial that America's Dad and the spokesman for such wholesome products
09:37like Pudding Pops could be a monster.
09:47After another swarm of accusations hit in 2014, though, the public's perception of
09:51Cosby was shattered for good.
10:02This culminated with a guilty verdict in 2018, although Cosby only served roughly three years.
10:07Since his release, Cosby has expressed interest in staging a tour, saying in 2022, quote,
10:12When I come out of this, I feel I will be able to perform and be the Bill Cosby that
10:16my audience knows me to be.
10:18The Bill Cosby that audiences now know, however, is vastly different than Cliff Huxtable.
10:22And that's the end of this list.
10:24Who else in Hollywood is beyond salvaging their reputation?
10:28Let us know in the comments.